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Title
Windows 2008R2 and Windows 7 replica machines do not retain Windows Activation on failover -
Description
When performing a failover or test failover of a Windows 2008R2 or Windows 7 machine, it is seen that Windows Activations is lost on the replicas.
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Cause
This is a microsoft limitation involving the mentioned Operating Systems.
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Resolution
A solution to this issue is described in the following Microsoft Article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd981009.aspx
It involves deploying KMS (Key Management Service) in the environment: "If you use virtual machines (VMs) in your environment, using KMS will transparently support activation throughout the hardware changes associated with moving or replicating VMs across physical systems. Additionally, using KMS activation in a VM environment seamlessly supports the use of undo disks and other reset operations."